The Medford Police Department has two working police dogs named K9 Rico and K9 Seamus. K9 Rico is a two-year-old German Shepherd from the Czech Republic, while K9 Seamus is also from the Czech Republic and is eight-years-old. Both dogs were bred to be working dogs.
Officer Kevin Conway is K9 Rico’s handler, and they are certified as a Patrol K9 team after graduating from the Massachusetts State Police K9 Patrol School on December 22, 2023. They are currently assigned to the Field Service Division and work patrol shifts. This past spring, they attended the Massachusetts State Police Detection School which specializes in ballistic detection.
K9 Seamus is a certified Patrol and Narcotic Detection dog assigned to Lieutenant Harry MacGilvray. Together, they graduated from the Massachusetts State Police K9 Patrol School in May 2017 and the Massachusetts State Police Narcotic Detection School in August 2017. After working in Field Services, Lieutenant MacGilvray was promoted, and currently, he and Seamus work alongside Officer Conway and K9 Rico.
The K9 Patrol teams are efficient in tracking suspects and missing persons, conducting building searches, and searching for evidence. Additionally, the Narcotic detection K9 teams are well-trained in locating hidden narcotics, while the ballistic detection K9 teams can find firearms and ammunition through the scent of black powder.
The Medford Police K9 Unit works in collaboration with the Massachusetts State Police K9 Unit, Malden Police K9 Unit, Everett Police K9 Unit, and Peabody Police K9 Unit to provide 24/7 coverage for the cities of Medford, Malden, Everett, and Town of Peabody. Moreover, MPD K9 Unit is available to neighboring cities and towns that require K9 assistance.
The Medford Police K9 Unit performs demonstrations throughout the year for local schools, youth groups, and civic organizations.